Politicians urged to cool rhetoric over Bibby Stockholm migrant barge

Politicians urged to tone down ugly war of words over migrant barge Bibby Stockholm amid anger at Lee Anderson’s ‘go back to France’ jibe and Diane Abbott linking Tory policy to Mediterranean disaster

Politicians have been urged to tone down hardline rhetoric over the Bibby Stockholm barge amid a heated row over immigration policy.

Tory deputy chairman and former Labour shadow home secretary Diane Abbott have been urged to dial it down after highly charged interventions in recent days.

Ashfield MP Mr Anderson provoked criticism – and support from No10 – when he said migrants unhappy to be housed on the vessel in Portland Harbour in Dorset could ‘f*** off back to France.’

And last night Ms Abbott deleted a tweet in which she linked his comments and Tory immigration policy with a migrant disaster in the Mediterranean, saying the 41 who  drowned ‘have indeed f***ed off to the bottom of the sea’.

Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman Alistair Carmichael MP said: ‘I think we need to restore good old fashioned decency and respect in our politics.

‘That is what the British people expect of politicians, and I hope the language we have seen over the past week is not seen again.

Tory deputy chairman and former Labour shadow home secretary Diane Abbott were among those urged to chill out after highly charged interventions in recent days.

Ashfield MP Mr Anderson provoked criticism – and support from No10 – when he said migrants unhappy to be housed on the vessel in Portland Harbour in Dorset could ‘f*** off back to France.’

Former Labour Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott has been slammed for saying migrants who drowned off Italy have ‘indeed f***** off… to the bottom of the sea’

Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman Alistair Carmichael MP said: ‘I think we need to restore good old fashioned decency and respect in our politics.

Downing Street on Tuesday backed the Tory deputy chairman after his blunt message to migrants boarding the barge, which can hold 500 people.

He delivered his blast after 20 people declined to get on the vessel, with lawyers claiming some who had a ‘severe fear of water’ after traumatic experiences.

Despite outrage at the comments, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk supported Mr Anderson’s ‘salty’ indignation as ‘well placed’. 

And No10 refused to back away from Mr Chalk’s defence of his Conservative colleague, with a spokeswoman saying: ‘Alex Chalk was speaking for the Government.’

Mr Carmichael today branded Mr Chalk’s defence as ‘toe-curling’. 

Ms Abbott’ deleted her online message last night after Tory criticism.  

The independent MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington tweeted ‘These migrants have indeed f***** off. To the bottom of the sea,’ as she shared a news story about the disaster in the Mediterranean.

She had previously described Mr Anderson’s comments as ‘a new low even for the Tories’. 

Forty-one people are believed to have died after a boat carrying migrants capsized off Tunisia in rough seas.

The metal boat carrying 45 people left Sfax, Tunisia on August 3, but the vessel was overturned by a huge wave hours into the journey.

Survivors were taken to the island of Lampedusa on Wednesday after a rescue operation.

Tory former minister Brendan Clarke-Smith tweeted: ‘And to think that Sir Keir Starmer campaigned for this person to be made our Home Secretary.

‘We all know that you can’t take Labour seriously on immigration or national security, but what a shame they also seek to exploit tragedies like this to push their warped agenda.’

A Conservative spokesman told the PA news agency Ms Abbott’s tweet was ‘wrong’.

‘The fact that she deleted it suggests she agrees with us,’ they added.

Ms Abbott had the Labour whip suspended in April for suggesting Jewish, Irish and traveller people are not subject to racism ‘all their lives’ in a letter to the Observer newspaper.

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